Wrap stripe attachment for knitting machines



WRAP STRIPE ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES I Filed Aug. 6, 1951 B- H. JORDAN Sept. 29,1953

5 Sheefcs-Sheet 1 7 INVENTORI BENJAMIN H. JORDAN.

ATTORNEYS.

P v1953 B. H. JORDAN 2,653,462

WRAP STRIPE ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 6, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y v Y m I I- 63 HIE? U s? I 22b ll I I I I II INVENTORZ BENJAMIN H. JORDAN.

ATTORNEYS.

Sept. 29, 1953 B. H. JORDAN WRAP STRIPE ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug.

BENJAMIN H. JORDAN,

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

Sgpt. 29, 1953 B. H. JORDAN 2,653,462

WRAP STRIPE ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 6, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 J1 7= 5 92 9! Y 5 Y I12 90 I07) "2 v I m 954 I07 y//////////////// E? fling/ 71111141111! 9s- 1* E8 104 I E m4 H02 IIIIZIIIIIIII "a we I b 105 ,L l 124 93'" I I a a/Anvil r2: '12s :30

,N NA.

4 BENJMMN H. JORDAN, INVENTOR- 14 1m l5 12 I v ATTORNEY;

WRAP STRIPE ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 6, 1951 77 80 0 0 o oo O O 0 oooo W2 5@ '77 I 7 F 4 94 v v 1w 9 I62 l( '60 29 1 1' T l F I 32 62 7o 7/ BENJAMIN H. JORDAN mvEMR.

f F 50km ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 29, 1953 WRAP STRIPE ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES Benjamin H. Jordan, High Point, N. 0.

Application August 6, 1951, Serial No. 240,459

6 Claims.

This invention relates to circular independent needle knitting machines and more especially to an improved demountable wrap stripe attachment therefor.

It i the primary object of this invention to provide an improvement in a circular knitting machine characterized by a wrap disk disposed above and in closely spaced relation to the horizontal plane of the upper ends of the needles in the needle circle, the axis of the disk being parallel to and eccentric to the axis of the needle circle and with means for rotating the disk at the same speed as that of the needle circle with the result that the disk presents the wrap yarn across the needle circle and back behind needles upon certain needles being raised above the normal horizontal plane of the upper ends of the needles thus causing said raised needles to engage the wrap yarns and resulting in wrapping the Wrap yarns around the needles during knitting.

The improvement is particularly constructed to provide means for moving into position between the wrap disk and the upper ends of the needles to thus move the yarns or yarn extending between the wrap disk and the knitted fabric out of the path of travel of the raised needles, such action'preferably being effected with movement of the gap closer to closed position thus obviating the necessity of moving or elevating the wrap'disk during reciprocatory knitting or dur ing any periods in which it may be desired to prevent the elevated needles from taking the wrap yarns.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved means for supporting the wrap disk and the associated wrap head comprising a normally horizontally disposed bracket in which the shaft to which the lower end of the disk is secured is rotatably mounted and on which the bobbins for the wrap yarn and the usual tension means therefor are disposed and which bracket may be readily swung upwardly about a pivot to one side of the vertical plane of the knitting instrumentalities and having means on the bracket for limiting outward movement thereof upon the bracket being raised or swung upwardly to inoperative position tothus cause the shaft with the disk thereon and other parts of the wrap head to extend substantially radially of the needle cylinder although they may be swung upwardly and outwardly beyond the center ofgravity of the wrap head and thus preventing the wrap head from swingably depending from the knitting machine which, heretofore, has resulted in the various parts of the wrap head being damaged inadvertently by operators upon the operators repairing or adjusting the knitting machine.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the upper portion of a circular knitting machine showing the improved wrap head and bracket for supporting the same in association therewith;

Figure 2 is an elevation looking at the lefthand side of Figure 1 with the upper portion of the machine broken away and illustrating portions of the machine which are disposed at a lower plane than that shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view with parts in section taken substantially along the line 3-3 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the manner in which the clamp and cutter plate is mounted;

Figure 5 is another enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 in Figure 3 and showing the manner in which the wrap head is supported;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to the lower central portion of Figure 5 but showing the improved means for moving the wrap yarns out of the path of travel of the raised needles in an operative position;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary top plan view with parts in section looking down at the top of Figure 6.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral l0 broadly designates the frame of a circular knitting machine of the type employed for knitting mens socks and which comprises a bed plate [2 through which a driven needle cylinder It extends. This needle cylinder I3 is of usual construction and is driven by conventional means, not shown, in a counter-clockwise direction in Figure 3. The needle cylinder has a. plurality of circularly arranged vertically movable independent latch needles generally designated at N medium of a vertically disposed shaft H which may be driven in a manner substantially as shown in the patent to C. S. Groves, S-r., et al, No.

2,451,673 of October 19, 1948. This shaft i1 is rotatably mounted in a bearing post It suitably secured, as by screws 23, to the upper surface of the bed plate 12. A further description of the manner in which the wrap head mechanism is driven will be provided later in this context.

The knitting machine also has a sinker head 2| which is supported in a conventional manner and which has conventional sinkers not shown, therein'which cooperates with the needles in forming stitches. A conventional latch ring 22 is disposed above the needle cylinder and extends rearwardly and is pivotally mounted,. as.at,23, on a post 26 suitably secured, as by screws1 25, to the upper surface of the bed plate 12. The latch ring has a forwardly projecting .portion f zlb integral therewith, the front. end. of which is supported on a conventional post" 25. "This post 26 is also suitably secured to the upper surface of the bed plate 12, as by screws 2?.

.The latch ring 22 has-athroat gap 39. therein ini-whichta plurality of. conventional yarn feed fingers 2Q -:operate in .a conventional manner. The. throat gap 7 3% :is closed during reciprocatory knitting by-a. conventional gap closer 3i and which has a-fianged. segmental ring portion 32 integral therewith mounted foroscillatory movo mentinlthe latch ring 22 (Figures 3, 5, 6 and 7 The gapcloser isheld in normal operating position so as not to: close the throat gap during circularknitting'by atension spring 33 which is anchored at i-ts front end (Figures 3 and 7) to a suitable spring anchor 3 secured to the exterior of the latch ring 22. .The rear end of the tension spring 33 is connectedjto the upper end of a lever 35 totwhich a rod 33 L's-connected. This rod 3% extends forwardly and is pivotally-connected to the ring portion 32 of the gap closer 35. In this instance, the front end ofthe rod is bent downwardly and slidably penetrates the ring portion 32 and, therefore, the latch ring 22 has a groove-22a in theleft-hand upper edge thereof to accommodate the downwardly bent end of the rod 36.

It will be observed in Figure 2. that the lever 35 extends downward-1y, and is pivotally mounted, asat- 37,-on the post 2 4 and has a heel portion is projectingforwardly therefrom. The lower surface of-thisiheel 'portiondil is engaged by the upper surface. ofan. angle clip il suitably secured-tobaathr-ust rod as by screws 453. The thrustrodmisguided in slotted guide members 35 land 46 which are a usual part of this type of knittingamachine. The-lower end of the thrust rod.--fi2,. at times, bears against a cam member suitablysecuredto. a main pattern drum 5% which is driven by conventional means, not shown. It is evidentthat,.-at times, the thrust rod d2 rests upon. the-upper peripheral surface of the main pattern drum ed as shown in Figure 2.

The pattern drum iiil is also instrumental in controlling the. movement of the conventional yarn feed fingers 29 but since the connections between the yarn feed fingers 2% and the pattern drum 5c are conventional, an illustration and description thereof .-is deemed unnecessary.

.The pattern drum 5!! also controls vertical movement of a thrust rod 5! disposed adjacent the thrust rod 32, only the upperportion of which is visible in Figure 2. The upper end of the thrust rod. 5! engages the down-turned rear end of a lever. 52 which is pivotally mounted-as at 53, on an upwardly projecting portion 54 integral with the latchring 22. Itwill be observed in Figure 7 that-this lever.,52 extends forwardly and then to the raiseda'forwardlyzprojecting. portion 22b of the latch ring22. The plate iil projects inwardly above the segmental ring portion 32 of the gap closer 3| and beyond the inner surface of the latch ring 22 1and supports a combination clamp -..and=-cut-ter plate and wrap horn broadly designated at 52.

'Itwillbe observed in Figure 5 that this plate 52 is .of lesserdiameter than the diameter of the needle circle so that the needles may move upwardlypast the plate 62, this plate being disposed at a lower elevation than the throat gap 30 in the latchring. 22. :The plate. 62 is supported by the plate-5l through the mediumof a vertically disposed rod fiiiwhose lower end is threadably embedded in the plate 62 and which. projects upwardly and slidablypenetrates the plate 5'! and is suitablysecured-ina collar 84 whichis, in turn, suitably secured, as by welding at to the upper surface of theplate 5?. This plate 52 may be of a typesubstantially shown in said Patentr-No. 2,451,673 or in the patent to Lawson .etal No. 1,872,760 of August 2 3, 1932.

The plate 52 -isain the form of la dislr and has an opening it! thereinwhich is shaped soas to provide an elongated, tapering, crescent-shaped finger or wrap horn H which extends about substantially-one-half of the circumference of the needle circle at the-inside thereof. This wrap horn i --assi.stsin wrapping the yarns to be knitted about the particularneedles N whichmay be elevated bythezcaml :i-for taking the-"wrap yarn. It willbenoted that-the free .end of the finger is spaced from the plate 52 to provide a passageway 72 (Figure 3) through which'the wrap yarns pass as they are pulled-over the wrap horn by-downward movement of the needles (see Figures 5 and 6) with rotation of 1 the. needlexcylinder in :.a counter-clockwise direction in Figure 3.

The passageway fir-is disposed at the knitting wave'so the yarn may-be pulled through the passageway .72 as thestitchesareformed. :However, in order to;:prevent. the yarns from moving out of the opening id-, the-re is an angularlydisposed guide member 76, which is shown in the form: of a wire member, theilower end of which is welded to the wall of the openingi'lil remote from-the wrap-horn Hand which extendsupwardly and outwardly and-thefree end of which is disposed adjacent and above-.the right-hand, portion of the latch ring 22 asIshown in Figures 3 and 5.

The clamp and cutterplate 62 supports a conventionalclamping and cutting mechanism indicated generally at 27.5;this clamping and cutting mechanism 75. being provided for clamping and cutting the usu'alayarns which extend-from the conventional yarn feed fingers 29. The free end of the lever has a-link Hi pivotally connected thereto and extending downwardly and inwardly therefrom at an .angle. and being pivotally connected,,,as at Tl (Figured), to a cutter bladeI which. is ,pivotallymounted in a. block. BI which is a part .ofthe clampingand cuttingmechanism 15. a

The. block 8| isislidably penetrated by apin- 82 to which the blade. 88, is fixed and a clamp. blade 83 is fixed on the end of the pin 82 remote from the end on which the cutter blade 80 is secured. There are many types of clamping and cutting mechanisms which may be employed and a detailed description of its structure and mode of operation is deemed unnecessary. In fact, this clamping and cutting mechanism 15 may be identical to that shown in Figures 21 to 25, inclusive, in the patent to Lawson et al., No. 1,702,608 of February 19, 1929.

Wrap stripe mechanism and improved mounting therefor V The wrap stripe attachment or wrap head is broadly designated at 90 and comprises a vertically disposed wrap shaft 9| (Figures 1 and 5) provided with an enlarged upper end 92, a reduced intermediate portion 93 and a reduced lower end portion 99 of lesser diameter than the intermediate portion 93. The reduced intermediate portion 93 of the shaft 9| slidably penetrates a bushing 95 in which the portion 93 of the shaft 9! is keyed as at 96. The bushing 95 is iournaled in an improved bracket designated broadly at 9'? and which bracket constitutes the primary element of the improved mounting for the wrap head 99.

The bracket 97 has an upstanding boss portion l9!) integral therewith which is provided with an enlarged bore [9| therethrough which is of substantially greater internal diameter than the external diameter of the bushing 95. The bracket 9'! is also provided with axially alined annular recesses 192 and 193 at the respective upper and lower surfaces thereof, the recess I92 being formed in the upper end of the enlarged or raised boss portion Hit of the bracket 9?. These recesses I92 and His have the outer races of respective antifriction or ball bearings I04 and W5 mounted therein and preferably being secured therein by a pressed fit. These anti-friction or ball bearings 59d and :95 are preferably of the sealed. type of bearing which is usually packed with a suitable lubricant before it is sealed thus obviating the necessity of lubricating the bearings Hi3 and Hit.

The inner races of the ball bearings Hi3 and H99 preferably snugly encircle the bushing 95 and the bushing 99 is provided with a flange 95a at the upper end thereof in Figure 5 which rests against the upper surface of the inner race of the ball bearing E96 for supporting the bushing 95 and the associated parts of the wrap stripe mechanism 99.

The flange 95a of the bushing 95 abuts against the annular shoulder formed by the enlarged shaft portion 92 and also abuts against the central portion of a yarn carrier plate I 9! which is centrally mounted on the lower end of the portion 92 of the shaft 9 l.

The bushing 95 has a plurality of closely spaced circularly arranged passageways or bores extending longitudinally therethrough and the yarn carrier plate N91 is suitably secured to the upper surface of the flange portion 950. of the bushing 95 as by screws I l I. Therefore, the yarn carrier plate E9! is provided with a plurality of circularly spaced tubular yarn guides H2 which coincide with the bores or passageways 1 It! in the bushing 99 and, thus, the yarn carrier plate I07,

and the yarn guides H2 rotate simultaneously with the bushing 95 and the shaft 9|, the shaft.

9! being driven in a manner to be presently described. V

The yarn carrier plate 101 has a plurality of upstanding stub shaft elements H3 fixed on the upper surface thereof, upon each of which is adapted to be mounted a corresponding bobbin H4 containingwrap yarn Y which is directed to the needles in a manner to be presently described.

The wrap yarn Y is withdrawn from each of the bobbins l M initially upwardly through a yarn controlling and tensioning mechanism broadly designated at H5 and which is of usual construction and a detailed description of which is deemed unnecessary. The yarn controlling and tensioning mechanism is mounted on a plate I I6 fixed on a collar Ill which is secured to the enlarged portion of the shaft 9! substantially above the yarn carrier plate I01. The yarn, after passing through the controlling and tensioning mechanism H5, passes downwardly through guide tubes i29 which extend through the plate H6 and the collar Ill. The yarn Y then extends downwardly through the tubular yarn guides I I2 and the corresponding bores H0 in the bushing 95.

It will be observed in Figures 1 and 5 that the intermediate reduced portion 93 of the shaft 9! has a beveled gear I21 adjustably secured thereon, by any suitable means such as a set screw I22, this gear l2! being spaced substantially below the lower end of the bushing 95. The beveled gear l2i is also penetrated by a plurality of circularly spaced tubular yarn guides 12% which are disposed in alinement with the bores H9 in the bushing 95 and through which the wrap yarns Y extend.

The beveled gear l2! meshes with a beveled gear 25 fixed on the inner end of a horizontally disposed shaft I25 which is rotatably mounted in bearing portions or projections I39 and it! which are spaced longitudinally of and depend from an arm I32 integral with the improved bracket 9?. The shaft E29 also has a beveled gear i93 fixedly mounted thereon between the projections K39 and It! depending from the arm I32 and this arm 232 is also provided with a hood portion defining an opening 13 within which the beveled gear its is disposed.

This beveled gear 139, in turn, meshes with a beveled gear E35 which is fixedly mounted on the upper end of the vertically disposed driven shaft ll heretofore described and which gear [35 rotates in sliding engagement with the upper end of the post l8. Disposed in substantially horizontal alinement with the arm I32 but on the opposite side of the enlarged raised boss portion IE9, is an arm use, the outer end of which has an off-set or downwardly projecting portion i i! integral therewith.

The portion Elli is pivotally mounted, as at M2, in a corresponding bifurcated ofi-set or inwardly projecting portion Hi3 integral with the upper end of a post lit. The post Hit extends downwardly and is suitably secured, as by screws M5, to the upper surface of the bed plate :2 of the frame 19.

7 It will be observed in Figure 2 that the post bid is provided with an opening M9 therein which is merely provided to reduce the weight of the post Hit. However, the upper end of the post I44 is bifurcated adjacent the off-set portion [i3 thereon to form a groove whose bottom is defined at I59 and the off-set portion 141 may have pivotal movement in the groove whose bottom is indicated at E58.

7 It is thus seen that the bracket 91 may be swung upwardly in a counter-clockwise direction in Fig: ure 1 until the outer end of the arm I40 of the bracket 91 rests against the bottom I50 of the groove-in the upper end of the post I44 as shown in broken lines in Figure 1. The surface I50 will then prevent the bracket '91 from moving beyond this point although the eenter of gravity of the wrap head Bil is then disposed substantially outwardly of the vertical plane of the post I44.

It will be observed in Figure 1 that the post I8 has a lateral projection 152 integral therewith which is threadably penetrated by a set screw I53, this set screw I53 being held in adjusted position by a lock nut 155. The upper end of the set screw is engaged by the lower surface of the projection I31 integral with the arm I32 of the bracket 91 when the bracket 9-? is in an operative position.

This insures that'the gears I ZI and I25 and I33 and I35 maybe properly enmeshedduringoperation of the wrap head 90. The outer end of the projection 31 on the .arm 132 of the bracket 91 has a leaf spring member 155 suitably secured thereto, as by a screw I55, which projects downwardly and is biased inwardly andis penetrated by a latch portion I51 projecting laterally from the free end of the laterally projecting portion I52 on the post 18 when the bracket 91 assumes an operative position. This insures that the bracket 91 may not be moved upwardly inadvertently. It :is evident, however, that the lower end of the leaf springmember I55 may be biased outwardly by an operator when the operator desires to raise the bracket 91 and the corresponding wrap head 99 to inoperative position, such as during knitting'wherein the wrap stripe attachmentis not employed. It will be noted that when the bracket -91 and the corresponding wrap stripe attachment 90 are in the operative position shown in Figures 1, 3, 5, 6 and '7, the vertically disposed shaft BI is disposed parallel .to but eccentric of the axis of the needle cylinder I3.

A wrap disk I60 is fixedly mounted on the reduced lower portion:94 of the Wrap shaft-9i (Figures .5 and 6) by any suitable meanssuch as a set screw IBI. This wrap disk has a plurality of circularly spaced vertically disposed passageways I62 therein through which the wrap yarns pass in their downward travel to the needles. The lower surface of the wrap disk I66 is disposed above but in closely spaced relation to the segmental ring portion 32 of the gap closer 3| and, upon rotation of the wrap disk I 6.8, the passageways I62 therein moveacross the needle circle, because the wrap shaft 91 is mounted eccentrically with respect to the center of the needle circle although its vertical axis is at a point within the needle circle.

Thus during normal operation of -the wrap stripe attachment '96, the yarn is fed from the wrap disk I69 downwardly and inwardly at .an angle from adjacent the upper surface of the ring portion 32 of the gap closer 3! from whence the wrap yarns pass downwardly and through the opening 18 in the combination clamp and cutter plate 62, the stitches being formed below the horizontal plane of the clamp and cutter plate 62. Thus, upon any needles being elevated, by the cam I4, to the position of the needle shown at the right-hand side of Figures and 6, the yarn from the adjacent passage- Way I62 in the wrap disk I60 will be taken in the hooks of the needles and will subsequently be wrapped around the needles in a well known manner in advance of the needles passing through the usual stitch cams, not-showrnto form 8. stitches therefrom. On the other hand, there are certain times during which it may be desired that the wrap stripe attachment remains in an operative position, such as diuing the knitting of the heel pocket and the toe pocket, which occurs during reciprooatory knitting, although it is not desirable that the raised needles take the wrap yarn from the wrap disk I60.

During reoiprooatory knitting, such as in knitting the heel pocket and toe pocket of a stocking, and possibly at other times during circular knitting, it may be desirable to continue elevating the needles as they move adjacent the position shown in the right-hand portion of Figures 6 and '1 although it may not be desirable that the wrap yarn be taken in the hooks of these particular elevated needles. Therefore, I have provided an improved means for preventing the elevated needles from taken the yarn from the wrap disk I63 which comprises a wrap yarn deflector finger I65 which rests against the upper surfaceof the ring portion 32 of the gap closer 3| and has sliding engagement therewith.

.This finger IE5 is disposed between the lower surface of the outer portion of the wrap disk I60 and the corresponding upper surface of the ring portion 32 of the gap closer 3! but is normally out of the path of travel-of the wrap yarns Y as they move past this point as is clearly shown in Figure 5. This finger I65 extends forwardly and is pivotally mounted, as at I66, on the upper surface of an angle clip I 61 suitably secured, as by a screw 12 (Figure '7) to the conventional forwardly projecting portion 22b integral with the latch ring 22, which portion 22b rests atop the uppersurface of the post 23 and is resiliently held in engagement therewith by a conventional leaf spring member Hi.

The wrap yarn deflector finger I 65 is normally urged inwardly towards the needle circle by a tension spring 513 which is connected at one end thereof (Figure '7) to the finger I65 rearwardly of the pivot point I35. The other end of the tension spring I13 is connected to the screw I12 which secures thefinger support I61 to the forwardly projecting portion 22b of the latch ring 22. In order to bias the wrap yarn deflector finger I35 to the inoperative position shown in Figures 3 and 5 during periods in which the wrap yarns shall be taken in the hooks of the particular needles elevated to the position of the needles shownat the right-hand side of Figures 5 and I3, the ring portion 32 of the gap closer 3i has an abutment I15 projecting upwardly therefrom which is shown in the form of a screw in Figures 3 and '7.

The wrap yarn deflector finger I65 is provided with a'notch I16 on the inner edge thereof, the bottom of which is engaged by the abutment I15 when the gap closer 3I is in the operative position shown in Figures 3 and 5. Thus, whenever the gap closer 3| is notextending across the gap 36, the wrap yarn deflector finger I65 is held in aninoperative position by the abutment 115. On the other hand, upon the cam 41 in Figure 2 on the main pattern drum 50 moving into en gagement with the lower end of the thrust rod 42, the thrust rod 42 is elevated to cause the lever 35 to move in a counterclockwise direction thus moving the rod 36 rearwardly and thereby causing the gap closer 3| to move in a clockwise direction in Figure 3 or from the position shown in Figure 5 to the position shown in Figure 6.

It is evident that this will cause the abutment to move fromr ight to left or from'the position shown in Figure 3 to'the position shown a recess I'Il therein to accommodate the abutment I15 as it moves from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure '7.

Now, as the finger I65 moves inwardly in the manner heretofore described, the medial portion thereof assumes substantially the position shown in Figure 6, immediately above the corresponding portion of the needle circle, and, in so doing, the inner edge of the wrap yarn. deflector finger I65 engages the wrap yarns extending through the passageways I 62 in the outer portion of the wrap disk I68 thus deflecting these wrap yarns out of their normal path of travel and causing the wrap yarns to be moved out of the path of travel of any needles which may be elevated to the position in which they normally take the wrap yarns as they move beneath the wrap disk I60.

It is thus seen that, although some of the needles N may be elevated to where the hooks thereof would ordinarily take the wrap yarns from the corresponding passageways I62 in the wrap disk 56!), the wrap yarns will have then moved inwardly of the path of travel of these needles with the result that they will fail to take the wrap yarns and will thus subsequently pass through the stitch cams to form stitches from the usual body yarns only, not shown, which are fed through the conventional yarn feed fingers 29.

It is thus seen that ,I have provided an improved bracket for supporting the wrap stripe attachment 90 and improved means for deflecting the wrap yarns out of their normal path of travel as they are directed from the wrap disk let through the opening 70 in the plate 62 and with the result that it is not necessary to move the wrap stripe attachment 90 to inoperative position manually during knitting in which it is desired that the wrap yarns are not knitted into the fabric. wrap yarn deflector finger I65 obviates the necessity of elevating the wrap disk Hit as has heretofore been necessary thus eliminating a plurality of complicated parts which have heretofore been required, including specially arranged cams on the main pattern drum.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriping the gap closer into and out of position for closing and opening the throat gap, said machine also having a frame and also having a wrap stripe attachment including a driven rotatable disk disposed closely adjacent the upper surface of the latch ring and being fixed on the lower end Moreover, the particular action of this of a driven vertically disposed wrap shaft whose axis is disposed in a vertical plane and to one side of the axis of the needle circle, said machine also having means for feeding wrap yarns to the wrap disk and also having means for raising certain of the needles to take the wrap yarns from the wrap disk,'a pattern controlled deflector finger disposed in a horizontal plane between the lower surface of the wrap disk and the upper surface of the latch ring and movable in a horizontal plane for selectively deflecting the wrap yarns which normally extend from the wrap disk to the needles inwardly to cause the needles to clear the wrap yarns as they move adjacent the wrap disk.

2. In a circular knitting machine having a needle cylinder provided with a plurality of circularly arranged vertically reciprocable hooked needles and also having means for elevating certain of the needles at a predetermined point, said machine also having a wrap stripe attachment provided with a driven rotatable wrap disk disposed closely adjacent the hooks of said elevated needles, the axis of the wrap disk being disposed in a vertical plane and to one side of the axis of the needle cylinder, said machine also having means for feeding wrap yarns to the wrap disk whereby said raised needles may take the yarn from the wrap'disk, a movable pattern controlled deflector finger for deflecting the wrap yarns out of their normal path of travel from the wrap disk to the needles at predetermined intervals while maintaining the wrap disk in its position closely adjacent the hooks of the elevated needle-s to thereby prevent the yarns from being taken in the hooks of the needles at said predetermined intervals.

3. In a circular knitting machine having a needle circle including hooked needles, said machine also having a, latch ring provided with a gap throat therein in which a plurality of yarn feed fingers are disposed and also having a gap closer and means for moving the gap closer into and out of position for closing and opening the throat gap, said machine also having a wrap stripe attachment including a driven rotatable disk disposed closely adjacent the upper surface of the latch ring with the axis of the wrap disk being disposed in a vertical plane and to one side of the axis of the needle circle, said machine also having means for feeding wrap yarns to the wrap disk and also having means for raising some of the needles to take the wrap yarns from the wrap disk, the combination of means for deflecting the wrap yarns out of their normal path of travel from the wrap disk to the needles comprising a wrap yarn deflector finger disposed between the lower surface of the wrap disk and the upper surface of the latch ring, means controlled by movement of the gap closer to a position closing said throat gap for moving the wrap yarn deflector finger inwardly substantially towards the axis of the needle circle, whereby the wrap yarn deflector finger engages the wrap yarns extending from the wrap disk and moves the same inwardly of the hooks in the corresponding needles to prevent the yarn from being taken by the needles, and means controlled by movement of the gap closer to a position away from the throat gap for moving the wrap yarn deflector finger out of the path of the wrap yarns extending from the wrap disk to thereby permit the wrap yarns to be taken by the needles.

4. In a structure according to claim 3, said gap closer having a segmental ring portion thereon mounted for sliding movement on said latch rin said deflector finger being disposed immediately above the segmental ring portion of the gap closer, an abutment projecting upwardly from said segmental ring portion and spring means urging said deflector finger toward the abutment whereby, upon movement of said gap closer with its ring portion in either direction, the deflector finger will move therewith in engagement with said abutment thereby controlling the position of the deflector finger in accordance with the position of the gap closer.

5. In a circular knitting machine having a needle circle including hooked needles, said machine also having a latch ring provided with a gap throat therein in which a plurality of yarn feed fingers are disposed and also having a gap closer and means for moving the gap closer into and out of position for closing and opening the throat gap, said machine also having a wrap stripe attachment including a driven rotatable disk disposed closely adjacent the upper surface of the latch ring with the axis of the wrap disk being disposed in a vertical plane and to one side of the axis of the needle circle, said machine also having means for feeding wrap yarns to the wrap disk and also having means for raising some of the needles to take the wrap yarns from the wrap disk, the combination of means for deflecting the wrap yarns out of their normal path of travel from the wrap disk to the needles comprising a wrap yarn deflector finger disposed between the lower surface of the wrap disk and the upper surface of the latch ring, means controlled by movement of the gap closer to a position closing said throat gap for moving the wrap yarn deflector finger inwardly substantially towards the axis of the needle circle, and means controlled by movement of the gap closer to a position away from the throat gap for moving the wrap yarn deflector finger out of the path of the wrap yarns extending from the wrap disk to thereby permitthe wrap yarns to be taken by the needles.

6. In a circular knitting machine having a needle circle including hooked needles, said machine also having a latch ring provided with a gap throat therein in which a plurality of yarn feed fingers are disposed and also having a gap closer and means for moving the gap closer into and out of position for closing and opening the throat gap, said machine also having a wrap stripe attachment including a driven rotatable disk disposed closely adjacent the upper surface of the latch ring with the axis of the wrap disk being disposed in a vertical plane and to one side of the axis of the needle circle, said machine also having means for feeding wrap yarns to the wrap disk and also having means for raising some of the needles to take the wrap yarns from the wrap disk, the combination of means for deflecting the wrap yarns out of their normal path of travel from the wrap disk to the needles comprising a wrap yarn deflector finger disposed between the lower surface of the wrap disk and the upper surface of the latch ring and means controlled by movement of the gap closer to a position closing said throat gap for moving the wrap yarn deflector finger inwardly substantially towards the axis of the needle circle.

BENJAMIN H. JORDAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,702,608 Lawson et al. Feb. 19, 1929 1,872,760 Lawson et al. Aug. 23, 1932 1,990,416 Page Feb. 5, 1935 2,146,750 Lawsonet al. Feb. 14, 1939 2,244,330 Dickens June 3, 1941 2,451,673 Grove et al Oct. 19, 1948 2,523,460 Wilson Sept. 26, 1950 

